Rebecca M. Stumpf

Rebecca M. Stumpf is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with affiliations in Animal Biology, the Program in Ecology/Evolution/Conservation (PEEC), Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, and the Beckman Institute. Her career spans over two decades of field research in Uganda and Madagascar, focusing on host-microbial interactions from a One Health perspective.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University (2004)
  • M.A. in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University (1998)
  • B.A. in Anthropology, Oberlin College (1990)

Her research interests integrate comparative microbiomes, emerging disease transmission, antimicrobial resistance dynamics, primate behavioral ecology, and evolutionary endocrinology. She leads the Kanyanchu River Research Collaborative in Kibale National Park, Uganda, examining chimpanzee behavior, hormones, and microbiomes.

Recent publications highlight 2025 studies on sifaka microbiomes and sustainable river systems, with recurring themes in primate gut/vaginal microbiota, habitat-human-microbe interactions, and evolutionary health insights.

• Scientific Honors:
  • 2021-2025 Fulbright Specialist
  • 2021-2022 Notre Dame Fellowship
  • 2016 Guggenheim Fellow
  • Multiple NSF and Gates Foundation grants

Stumpf mentors a diverse student cohort (e.g., Abby Asangba, Negin Valizadegan, Mike Nute) and collaborates with teams in Uganda (e.g., Chris Irumba, Howard Onyuth) and computational labs. Her work bridges conservation, human health (e.g., preterm birth research), and decolonizing science in Africa.